Ohio woman's arm torn off in towing mishap

The Associated Press

A Cincinnati woman's arm ripped off during a vehicle-towing accident has been reattached by surgery.

Family members tell The Cincinnati Enquirer it's unclear how much function 36-year-old Helen Foster will have in the arm after the accident on Monday. Friends were helping Foster tow her old minivan to a junkyard when a braided rope snapped, then recoiled violently and severed her arm at the elbow.

The relatives say the man towing the van with his pickup truck immediately ran for ice and towels while another friend called for help. Family members say their quick action likely saved Foster's arm.

Her sister-in-law Suzanne Foster says the woman can't believe what happened. And the friends who with her say they're stunned by the grisly accident.